Time Conundrum
by Marauder-chan
Summary: Albus doesn't know where the time turner came from, or why it sent him so far back. All he knows is that he's now stuck in his grandparents' time. And it's all James' fault.


**Note: This takes place during Albus' second year and the Marauders' fourth year. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. **

* * *

"Albus. Albus. Aaalllbus. Albie! Al, Al, Al, Al, Al, Al! Al! Allie-pie! AAALLLLLLBBBBUU-"

Albus Severus Potter snapped his book shut with a huff. "What do you want, James?" he snapped. "It'd better be important. I'm trying to study."

James shook his head, tutting. "You poor, deprived child. I should have known this would happen when you were sorted into the Ravens! They've corrupted you into loving the Library!" he declared melodramatically. "They lie, brother! Books are not your friends! They're evil!"

Albus gave him a deadpan look. "Is this all you wanted to tell me?" He turned back to his book.

"No!" James exclaimed, ripping it out of his hands and shoving what seemed to be a locket of some sort in front of him. "Look at this instead!"

Albus furrowed his eyebrows, peering at the artifact. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a locket at all. On the end of the chain was an hourglass surrounded by a gold band. His eyes widened in recognition.

"James, where did you get this?" Albus demanded suddenly.

James shrugged nonchalantly. "Dunno, really. Just found it on the ground somewhere. You can have it if you want it." He took it from Albus' hands and slipped it around the boy's neck, ignoring his protests. "Did you know the circle thing spins? It's pretty addicting. I've been fiddling with it for hours!"

Albus paled. "James-"

He never got to finish his sentence. Before he knew it, his body started to flicker, becoming transparent-like, before fading completely out of view.

James was left gaping in it's wake, staring in shock at the chair his younger brother previously resided in.

* * *

Albus blinked. "James?"

He looked around, searching for any sign of the older Gryffindor. Nothing.

He had just vanished.

Or...

Albus lifted up the end of his newly acquired necklace, frowning at it. "I should have known James would get me into something like this," he muttered.

Judging by the appearance of the artifact, his brother had somehow stumbled upon a Time Turner, despite the fact that they had all been destroyed years ago. And somehow, it activated when it was placed on Albus.

He just needed to find out how far back he went. Hopefully it was only a couple of hours, and not something like a week.

If he went back any farther than a week, he'd kill James.

Albus sighed and stood up, pushing his chair into the table behind him. He walked over to a red-headed girl, who was quietly reading a book by herself.

"Excuse me," he said quietly.

The girl looked up once, before rolling her eyes and returning to her book with an exasperated sigh. "Potter, I'm really not in the mood right now. I'd appreciate it if you'd just sod off."

Albus furrowed his eyebrows. "Huh?"

She glanced up again. "Look, I'm not going to put up wi-" The girl stopped, doing a double-take at his appearance. "Oh. Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else!"

Albus took in her robes, noting that she was a Griffindor. Based on that, and the fact that she had called him Potter, he could only infer that she had mistaken him for his brother. He grimaced. He didn't know what the boy did to anger this girl, but knowing James, he probably didn't want to know.

"Don't worry about it," he reassured her. "I was wondering if you could tell me the date? I'm afraid I lost track of time."

She nodded understandingly. "Yeah, finals really do that to you. It's May 26th."

Albus' eyebrow twitched. May. It was May. That ruddy prat had put him 6 months before his time.

He was going to murder the guy.

He sighed to himself, before turning to the slightly confused girl. "Mind if I join you?" he questioned. "I've got a bit of time on my hands."

She nodded, smiling at him. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Thanks," he said, sliding into the seat next to her. "My name's Albus, although I'd prefer it if you'd call me Al."

"I'm Lily," she greeted, holding out her hand to shake. "It's nice to meet you."

"Your name's Lily?" he said as he shook her hand. "That's my sister's name."

"Really?" The corners of her mouth turned up. "Small world."

After this introduction, Lily turned back to her work, staring at her book with almost forced concentration. Her quill was poised above her parchment, but for what seemed like ten minutes to Albus, no words were formed.

"What are you working on?" He asked eventually, snapping Lily to attention.

"Oh, I'm writing an essay on Veritaserum. I've got the basics down, but I still have a few questions myself I can't find the answers to. Like, if someone believes that what they're saying is the truth, but it actually isn't, would they still be able to say it, because they think it's true, or would it be recognized as a falsehood, and therefore not be able to be spoken? Or what about statements that don't have a definite way to determine if it's true or false? For example, if someone said, 'This statement is a lie', then it can't be a lie because then it'd be the truth, but it can't be the truth either because then it would be a lie. So would it be recognized as true or false? It's an interesting concept."

"Sounds intriguing," Albus agreed. "Want me to help you look for stuff?"

Lily looked highly relieved. "Would you? That'd be a great help, but I don't want to be a bother."

Albus grinned. "It's no problem. I've got the time; may as well use it."

The two of them worked for almost two hours. Albus found himself greatly enjoying the girl's company. He wondered why he hadn't seen her in the library before, but figured that since he was only in his second year, it was reasonable that he hadn't seen her much.

"You're a second year?" Lily asked when he mentioned this to her.

"Yeah," he sighed, "Or I will be, at least."

"Huh?" Lily furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?"

Albus peered closely at her for a minute, trying to discern her trustworthiness, before saying carefully, "Have you ever heard of something called a time turner?"

Lily nodded. "Yes..."

"Well, my brother found one- Don't ask me where or how, I don't know," Albus hurriedly added, when Lily opened her mouth to say something. "But he gave it to me, and when it went around my neck, I went back six months in time."

Lily's eyes widened. "Six months? I thought they couldn't go back any longer than a day!"

Albus frowned. "Yeah, and they're all supposed to be destroyed, too. What was one doing just laying around Hogwarts?"

Lily shot him a baffled look. "Wha-"

"Ah, Evans! Your beauty glows warmer than a summer day!" A voice interrupted from behind them.

Lily groaned tiredly, seeming to recognize said voice. "Not now, Potter."

'_Potter_?' Albus turned around. "James, you-"

He stopped when he saw the figure. Sure, he shared a lot of similarities, like the cocky smirk and messy hair, but this guy wore glasses while James didn't, and had hazel colored eyes.

The boy shot him a bemused glance. "Do I know you?"

"Just leave him alone, Potter," Lily snapped. "He shouldn't have to be subjected to your idiocy."

"I didn't do anything yet!" Potter protested, ruffling his hair. "Anyway, Evans, go out with me?"

Suddenly, everything seemed to click for Albus. _Evans. Potter. Lily Evans._

_"It's May 26."_ Lily hadn't mentioned the date when she told him this. It wasn't May 26, 2020. James hadn't sent him back six months.

He sent him back 40-50 years.

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**I don't really know how far I'll take this; it's just an experiment right now. It really depends on the feedback I get, and my motivation level. So, if you like it, please review!**


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